In producing printing plates such as flexographic plates and letterpress plates, a printing plate segment, which can be the whole plate, is exposed using a plate imager, e.g., an imagesetter with imaging data that defines a design area on the imaged plate segment. The imaging data includes registrations marks, e.g., cross shaped marks, or registration microdots, and such registration marks are on the printing surface in the design area. The registrations marks are places outside the area of interest—the design area. The design area in this context is that sensitive area where it is undesired to include any visible marks that are not part of the design. The design area therefore, in this context, excludes, in the case of packaging, the glue flaps or other flaps. Placing the registration marks outside the design area requires a larger plate than if such registration marks were not included. There is an incentive to reduce the amount of printing plate material used. Therefore, it is desired to place registration marks within the design area, but in a manner such that the registration marks are not printed, and furthermore, such that the plates can be re-used, e.g., for additional repeated mounting/printing cycles. Furthermore, it is desired to automate the process of placing the registration marks, such that manual processes are not included.